Wallboard repair device

ABSTRACT

A repair device for patching holes in wallboard, plaster walls and other wall material which require plaster or composition materials in order to become patched. The device provides support for said patching materials and can be adapted to fit any size or shape hole which occurs. The device comprises two slidably connected pieces that can be locked together to form a flat, recessed backing support that is inserted into a trimmed hole in the wall.

United States Patent [1 1 Rosenblum 51 Feb. 27, 1973 WALLBOARD REPAIRDEVICE 21 Appl. No.: 52,918

1,412,736 4/1922 Hamilton ..52/3l7 1,947,954 2/1934 Piland ..52/3173,295,285 l/l967 Metz ..52/514 Primary ExaminerAlfred C. PerhamAttorney-N. Elton Dry [57] ABSTRACT [52] US. Cl ..52/5l4, 52/632 Arepair device for patching holes in wanboard, [51] 1131. CL 37/00plaster walls and other n material which require [58] Feld Search"52/317, 248/57 plaster or composition materials in order to become248/2116 patched. The device provides support for said patchingmaterials and can be adapted to fit any size [56] References cued orshape hole which occurs. The device comprises two UNITED STATES PATENTSslidably connected pieces that can be locked together to form a flat,recessed backing support that is 1n- 3,l04,087 9/1963 Budnick et al..248[216 X serted into a trimmed hole in the wall. 3,163,386 12/1964Collins 2,598,194 5/1952 Shippey ..52/514 5 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures l8I7 I) I70 X L T::.-

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PATENTED 3.717. 970

W J ROSENBLUM mvewron WWW A T TORWEY BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION l.Field of the Invention This invention relates to a new and useful devicefor patching holes in wallboard or plaster walls.

2. Description of the Prior Art wallboard, sometimes called Sheetrock,is a common wall covering in homes and buildings. This materia1 isnailed directly onto the wall studs, which leaves a four (4) inch spacebetween wall surfaces.

The wallboard material is somewhat susceptible to holes being punched orknocked therein. Balls, sticks, furniture and other objects commonlycause holes in these types of walls. If a repair is attempted, thepatching material falls into the space between the walls, practicallyruling out this type repair. Old newspapers, rags and the like have beenused to attempt a suitable backing for the patching compound. All ofthese methods have proved to be unsuitable.

Usually, wall repair can be made only by cutting out a large section ofthe wall and byreplacing the whole panel. This procedure entails the useof professional craftsmen and is done at great expense.

The present invention can be used by the home owner and at littleexpense. In addition, the repair can be accomplished with littledifficulty and in a few minutes.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The object of the present invention is toprovide a wallboard repair device for insertion in a hole that has beenpunched in said wallboard to provide a support for plaster or othercomposition with which the hole is filled and repaired. The devicecomprises two slidably connected pieces that can be locked together toform a flat recessed support which is insertable in a hole located inwallboard or other wall covering material. The device comprises twoslidably connected pieces,

each piece being relatively flat, having at the outer ends thereof meansfor securing the device fixedly in a hole, shaped to receive the device,occuring in wallboard or other wall composition, the device having meansfor adjusting the overall length of same and for securing the twopiecesin the adjusted and extended length.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The invention will be morereadily understood from a reading of the following specification and byreference to the accompanying drawings wherein an example of theinvention is shown, and wherein:

, FIG. 1 is a plan view of the wallboard repair device illustrating thetwo pieces slidably connected and opened to extend the overall lengththereof;

FIG. 2 is a transverse, horizontal view of the device wherein the twopieces have been opened out and locked together by means of -a nut andbolt;

FIG. 3 is a transverse, end view of the locking piece illustrating theslide-receivers on the bottom thereof;

FIG. 4 is a plan view of a portion of wall covering material with therepair device in place in a hole in the wall covering, with the twopieces extended and locked in place; and

FIG. 5 is a plan view of the repair device having other than anessentially rectangular shape.

, 2 In the drawings, the numeral 10 designates the repair device, havingtwo slidably connected pieces 11 and 12, with piece 12 being engaged inslide-receivers 18,

as illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 3. Piece 12 can be extended to anysuitable extent necessary to fill the hole 20 being repaired, with therepair device 10, as shown in FIG. 4. The hole 20 in the wall coveringmaterial 19 can then be filled with plaster or other suitablecomposition.

In a preferred embodiment, the repair device 10 has located at the outerends thereof means 17 and 17a for securing the device 10 in the hole 20being repaired. Preferably, the securing means 17 and 17a are located onslightly raised members 15 and 16 extending upwardly from the outer endsof pieces 11 and 12. This provides a method for recessing repair device10 into the wallboard, affordingmore space for receiving the patchingcompound.

The repair device 10 may be extended or contracted by sliding the twopieces 11 and 12 upon the securing means 14, which is commonly a nut andbolt, by means the slot 13. This arrangement allows the repair device 10to be adjusted to fit a variety of hole sizes. In addition, the repairdevice 10 may be manufactured in several convenient widths to provide aproper selection of. dimensions for the do-it-yourself consumer public.In addition, the pieces 11 and 12 may be perforated as well asunperforated.

FIG. 5 shows a repair device 21 having other than an essentiallyrectangular configuration, such as illustrated in FIG. '1. Theserepairdevices may be made from plastic, wood,.metal or screen material.Repair devices from screen or metal have been found to be most suitablein actual testing. One of the most suitable uses has been found to be inrepairing wallboard.

As illustrated in FIG. 4, the wallboard 19 has had a hole 20 punchedtherein. The hole 20 is shaped to receive the repair device 10, whichhas been extended and locked in place by means of the nut and bolt 14.To complete the repair, plaster or other patching compound is filledinto the hole 20 and smoothed up to provide a flat, smooth surface whichcan be painted over to completely hide the repair job.

These wallboard materials are sometimes referred to as Sheet rock. It isfor the repair of this Sheet rock that the invention is most suitablydirected. The sizes of Sheet rock found most acceptable for repair withthe present invention, are sheets having thicknesses of fromthree-eights to three-fourths inch. It has been found that the verticlemembers 15 and 16, as shown in FIG. 1, enables the repairer to slightlyrecess the device 10 in the hole, affording more space in which to placethe patching compound.

For use in applications other than sheet rock, it may be necessary toemploy other securing means 17 and 17a. Friction configurations or othermeans may be necessary when the device 10 is used in repairing plasterwalls, since the plaster is extremely hard. In addition, othermodifications and special configurations are possible to fit particularapplications, all of which are deemed to be encompassed by this presentinvention.

What is claimed is:

l. A wallboard repair device, for insertion in holes occurring therein,for providing backing support for patching compound which comprises twolaterally slidable, connected pieces, forming an essentially ovalconfiguration, each piece being relatively flat, having means integrallyformed at the ends of each piece, in a space parallel relation to saidpieces, for securing the repair device fixedly in said hole whereby themain surface of the repair device lies in a generally space parallelrelation to said wallboard, the device having means for adjusting theoverall length of same and a nut and bolt arrangement for securing thetwo pieces in the adjusted and extended length.

2. The repair device of claim 1, wherein the two laterally slidable,connected pieces form a generally rectangular configuration and are madefrom screenlike material.

3. The repair device of claim 1, wherein the two laterally slidable,connected pieces form a generally rectangular configuration and are madefrom plastic.

4. The repair device of claim 1, wherein the two laterally slidable,connected pieces are made from a screen-like material.

5. The repair device of claim 1, wherein the two laterally slidable,connected pieces are made from plastic.

1. A wallboard repair device, for insertion in holes occurring therein,for providing backing support for patching compound which comprises twolaterally slidable, connected pieces, forming an essentially ovalconfiguration, each piece being relatively flat, having means integrallyformed at the ends of each piece, in a space parallel relation to saidpieces, for securing the repair device fixedly in said hole whereby themain surface of the repair device lies in a generally space parallelrelation to said wallboard, the device having means for adjusting theoverall length of same and a nut and bolt arrangement for securing thetwo pieces in the adjusted and extended length.
 2. The Repair device ofclaim 1, wherein the two laterally slidable, connected pieces form agenerally rectangular configuration and are made from screen-likematerial.
 3. The repair device of claim 1, wherein the two laterallyslidable, connected pieces form a generally rectangular configurationand are made from plastic.
 4. The repair device of claim 1, wherein thetwo laterally slidable, connected pieces are made from a screen-likematerial.
 5. The repair device of claim 1, wherein the two laterallyslidable, connected pieces are made from plastic.